The pocket dimension containing the Tomb of the Emperor Beasts differed than to the real world. Not only was the energy held within this dimension purer, but Bai Yunfei and Xiao Qi also absorbed the energy from the Immortal Iridescent Phoenix, meaning that the Emperor’s Phenomena was slightly different. It was smaller in scale and didn’t leave much an effect on the dimension.

If on the outside world, the amount of Planar energy involved in their break through would’ve resonated more with the energy there and the effects would be amplified.

The auras of two beings floated in the air of the pocket dimension. The glow of light around their body shrunk with every passing moment, and before long, they dissipated entirely to reveal the figures of Bai Yunfei and Xiao Qi.

Nothing was different about them physically, but the energy exuded by both beings were definitely a notch above what it was before. Their auras felt more imposing. It felt as if they were both capable of moving the world just by pushing their arms out.

The energy that danced across Xiao Qi’s feathers gradually died down to a lull, leaving behind a very motionless Xiao Qi. He was seemingly reflecting upon the new realizations that came with advancing in stage.

Still floating in the air, Bai Yunfei had his right arm reaching out to the Cataclysmic Seal, but not quite grasping it either. His soulforce was flowing from his own body into the Cataclysmic Seal.

A flash of dark-gold light gleamed underneath his robes. It wasn’t coming from his body but the armor he wore!

“Bzzz....”

The Cataclysmic Seal began to hum and tremble as if excited. Then at once, it exploded with a red light!

The armor Bai Yunfei wore exploded with light at the same time with enough light to cover his entire body!

Then power began to explode from Bai Yunfei!

———————

“Phew...”

A long period of time passed by the time all the light was over and Bai Yunfei was no longer glowing. His body was already beginning to gain back the soulforce it lost.

As tired as he was, Bai Yunfei was excited to take a look at his new achievements. Managing somewhat ease his nerves, he looked down at the armor he wore.

His right hand touched the surface of it and brought open the notification screen...

Elemental Affinity: Metal, Darkness

Upgrade Level: +12

Defense: 5500

Additional Defense: 5000

Soul Compatibility: 100%

Equipment Effect: Convert a certain amount of attack taken into additional defense for up to 1 minute for each hit. Defense converted by attacks cannot exceed 30% of the armor’s defenses.

Cooldown of 1 minute.

+10 Additional Effect: Create a whirlpool of darkness capable of negating any elemental attack.

Cooldown of 10 minutes.

+12 Additional Effect: Bounce back any one attack whose power does not exceed double the defense of this equipment.

Cooldown of 30 minutes.

Upgrade Requirement: 250 Soulpoints

The armor didn’t increase in tier, it was just a small increase in defense. But the biggest change was...the soul compatibility!

It went from being 30% to 100%!

It was now a lifebound armament!

His seventh one!!

Regular soul cultivators would be lucky if they had even one lifebound armament. Bai Yunfei had seven!

Bai Yunfei had to wonder what kind of expressions of the crafting elders would have if they knew about this.

It didn’t seem like the armor changed much even after becoming a lifebound armament. But Bai Yunfei knew it’d require less soulforce to activate its effects. That in itself was a good thing.

Having a seventh lifebound armament gave Bai Yunfei an idea.

“If the +12 additional effect can counter attacks, I’ll call it something simple like the ‘counter armor’!”

The armor never had a name since he first received it from Li Fenghai. It was time for it to get one now that it was a lifebound armament.

He lifted his head to look at the other soul armament, the Cataclysmic Seal. The excitement was flowing back to his face—his had higher hopes for the Cataclysmic Seal since it was reforged.

Grabbing onto the brick, Bai Yunfei excitedly started to read through the stats.

Equipment Grade: Normal (Regular Mode)

Elemental Affinity: Earth

Upgrade Level: +13

Attack: 9

Additional Attack: 132

Soul Compatibility: 100%

+10 Additional Effect: When attacking, there is a 5% chance to inflict confusion for a maximum of 3 seconds.

(If attacking the head, increase this chance to 10%.)

Cooldown of 10 seconds.

+12 Additional Effect: When attacking, there is a 10% chance to stun the target for a maximum of 5 seconds.

(If attacking the head, increase this chance to 20%.)

Cooldown of 15 seconds.

+13 Additional Effect: When attacking, there is a 50% chance to hurl the target.

Cooldown of 3 seconds.

Upgrade Requirement: 200 Soulpointsre

Elemental Affinity: Fire, Wind

Upgrade Level: +13

Attack: 2800

Additional Attack: 6000

Soul Compatibility: 100%

+10 Additional Effect: When attacking, there is a 10% chance to activate ‘Constricting Flames’ and inflict a 10% decrease in mobility for a maximum of ten seconds.

Cooldown of 1 minute.

+12 Additional Effect: In exchange for soulforce, summon a shield made of elemental earth. The more soulforce used, the stronger the shield. The total defense of the shield cannot exceed the attack of the weapon.

(Ineffective against mind-based attacks).

+13 Additional Effect: In exchange for soulforce, expand the weapon up to ten thousand times its size. The attack will remain the same but can be controlled up to eight thousand meters away from the user.

Upgrade Requirement: 200 Soulpoints

Finishing off the stats, Bai Yunfei began to smile with glee!

The Cataclysmic Seal in its normal form didn’t change at all, but the special mode did...

It went being a low-earth tier to a mid-heaven tier! And the stats it had meant it was strong enough to contend even with a high-heaven tier! Bai Yunfei’s goal was met!

And the additional effects changed!

The +10 additional effect had its chance and effect enhanced by thirty percent, but the biggest change was the +13 additional effect!

It no longer had an upper limit on its expansion or a distance limit for its controllability!

That was a big enough change to fill Bai Yunfei with glee, what was there not to like?!

“I wonder if an Early-stage Soul Emperor would be able to block an attack from the Cataclysmic Seal at my current strength?”

A stray thought entered Bai Yunfei’s mind. He was excited to test his limits of both himself and the Cataclysmic Seal now...

“Yunfei, I’m a class eight soulbeast now! Haha!! You’re a Soul Emperor now too! That’s great!”

Bai Yunfei’s thoughts were interrupted by the loud chirping of Xiao Qi. Distracted, Bai Yunfei glanced over to his avian companion.

Putting away the Cataclysmic Seal, Bai Yunfei looked at Xiao Qi in surprise, “Why...didn’t you humanize?”

Xiao Qi was an early-stage class eight soulbeast now, but he still decided not to humanize!

“After thinking about it I decided not to. I might not get used to it if I did...besides, it’s a waste of potential to try and humanize! I’d never become the strongest if I did.”

Bai Yunfei went quiet for a second. He felt a little moved by Xiao Qi’s reasoning...

Because of the bond he shared, the emotions and logic Xiao Qi had were understood deeply by Bai Yunfei. Xiao Qi didn’t want to waste the energy attempting to humanize so it could be conserved for getting stronger. It felt like he was trying to prepare himself as much as he could for any future battles...

Xiao Qi had been so excited about humanizing when he was a class six soulbeast. The opportunity came when he became a class seven soulbeast, but he didn’t take it. The opportunity was missed again as a mid-stage class seven soulbeast and then when as a late-stage class seven soulbeast. Bai Yunfei couldn’t blame him for the last opportunity. In that dangerous time when he and Long Lan roamed the continent with Tang Xinyun, it was important for Xiao Qi to have every last edge he could have. Every battle he had during that time required more power than Xiao Qi could spare for humanizing. Not that Xiao Qi cared for humanizing at that point. He just wanted to kill every enemy that was involved in Bai Yunfei’s ‘disappearance’...

Humanization was a process that did require a significant portion of strength whenever a soulbeast broke through. That was one of the reasons why a subsection of soulbeasts opted not to humanize. Some even opted to go for a half-transformation like the Golden Roc King and Wind Ape King. They had humanoid figures but ultimately had more bestial appearances like the head. A half-transformation like this was a compromise that didn’t require as much energy as humanization.

But for some reason, Xiao Qi was still willing to give up humanization at this level. He was throwing away the dreams of before for the sake of getting more power...